Trek Driftless riders Daxton Mock and Cécile Lejeune claimed their first Belgian Waffle Ride California titles on Sunday 03 May 2026 at the Del Mar Polo Fields in Del Mar.
Mock won the 15th edition of the race in 5:18:55. Lance Haidet crossed the line 20 seconds back in second, with New Zealand’s Matthew Wilson arriving four seconds further adrift to complete the men’s podium.
The result carries particular significance for Mock, who finished seventh last year after a wrong turn cost him three minutes. On Sunday, there was no such drama — the 24-year-old Wisconsin native controlled 107 miles of mixed terrain, featuring 7,367 feet of climbing across 30 unroad sectors, including deep sand, singletrack, and punchy SoCal fire roads.
Mock’s path to the top has been unconventional. A former elite cyclocross racer — third at the Pan-American Cyclocross Championships in 2022 — he transitioned into gravel with growing authority. Earlier in 2026, he won the Highlands Gravel Classic in Fayetteville, Arkansas, the opening USA round of the UCI Gravel World Series, and now adds BWR California to his career wins. Both parents are former Trek employees; Mock joined Trek Driftless this season as a first-year professional and is delivering on early promise emphatically.
Haidet, 28, from San Luis Obispo, California, is a former US National Under-23 Road Champion (2019) who brings a strong cyclocross pedigree to the gravel scene. Wilson, 24, racing for Black Dirt Collective, finished third at the New Zealand National Road Race Championships earlier this year and placed 12th at the Sea Otter Classic gravel race in April.
28 year-old former French road racer Cécile Lejeune, also now riding for Trek Driftless, dominated the women’s 107-mile race to win solo in 6:09:53, 14 minutes ahead of second place finisher Courtney Sherwell at 6:24:01. Hannah Shell was next at 6:29:44 to complete the women’s podium.
2026 Belgian Waffle Ride California results HERE
Photo Credit: Instagram/belgianwaffleride
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